Tampa Bay Rays 2013 Season

[Tobywan]

Alex Cobb just got back to the team after bereavement leave following the death of his grandmother in time to make his start against the Royals. He was hit full flush on the side of the head by a line drive off Eric Hosmer and is currently being evaluated at the hospital near the Trop. His father was in the stands for the weekend series with Father’s Day being tomorrow.


It looked as scary as when Happ was struck last month (though he hurt his knee badly on the play as well) and his recovery was expected to be at least 2 months.

On a secondary note, the Rays are leading the game 5-3 after a miserable week of play.

[Tobywan]

Hopefully, Cobb will only miss a start or two, has a mild concussion and all other tests came back normal.


In brighter news Will Myers is on his way and will join the team for the Boston/New York road trip. Brian Roberts was optioned to Durham to make room.

[Tobywan]

Will Myers first homer is a grand slam (with a little help from Gardner) and he did it gloveless, off CC AND at Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, it comes in a loss that puts the Rays in a tie with the streaking Blue Jays for last place.

Alex Colome was called up for the start today with Josh Lueke being sent back to Durham. Cobb’s return is uncertain so Colome is likely to get a few starts.

28 of the Rays 2013 draft picks have been signed including the first pick C Nick Cuiffo. Also signed were five free agents C Jesus Flores, RHP Mike Colla, RHP Corey MacDonald, C Sean Smedley and RHP Wilce Nieves. According to reports, OF Thomas Milone is due to sign choosing the Rays over UConn and will report to Charlotte next week.

David Price made a rehab start with the Charlotte Stone Crabs on Friday against the Bradenton Marauders, allowing two runs, one earned, two hits over 2 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

[Tobywan]

Upside......Will Myers first homer at the Trop on his first at bat at the Trop to deep CF, first curtain call.

Downside.....battling the Blue Jays for last place.


Upside....the division is separated by 5.5 games.

[Tobywan]

Brandon Gomes was sent to Port Charlotte for a rehab assignment on the 24th.

Milone did sign along with 2 more draft picks. Four more free agents also signed this past week, RHP Justin Choate, RHP Carlos Leon, CF Evan Frey and RHP Ramon Ramirez.

Over the weekend Brian Roberts was recalled from Durham, with Colome being optioned.

Alex Cobb was transferred to the 15 day DL and David Price has been activated, he is scheduled to pitch tonight in Houston. To make room, Roberts was optioned back to Durham despite hitting 2 homers in last night's 12-0 blowout over the Astros.

Longoria has been out of the line up with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, though he has been suffering for almost a month the rest is an attempt to keep him off the DL.


The Rays have won 6 of their last 8 games including series wins over the Blue Jays and Tigers to pull a half game ahead of the Yanks for third place.

[Tobywan]

Even though Zobrist didn’t get to appear in the All-Star game, he says it was a great experience as his entire family was able to attend the festivities.


After a movie and a short film……now a book.
Ben & Juliana Zobrist have a book coming out next April about their life together trying to accommodate careers, family and faith.



The Rays are on the first leg of a 10 game stretch with AL East rivals; tomorrow they will start a 4 game series pitching them in a battle for first place. Currently 1.5 games back of division leading Red Sox after they took a loss to the Yankees last night on the Fox game of the week and the Rays eked by the Jays.

Yunel Escobar was held out of the game yesterday nursing a hamstring strain, at the moment he is not expected to go on the DL.

James Loney did not make the trip to Toronto with the team, he was on paternity leave welcoming a son on Thursday, he is expected back today. Ryan Roberts was recalled and once again makes a contribution.

Alex Cobb threw 60 pitches in a simulated game at Charlotte.Brandon Gomes has also been sent to the Crabs for more rehab after completing a stint with the GCL Rays.

[Tobywan]

The Rays go to Boston 1.5 games behind after the Red Sox come back to beat the Yankees last night. The Rays narrowly preserved their lead in Sunday’s game giving up 2 runs in the ninth to win 4-3 and sweeping the Jays.

Past history is against the Rays especially at Fenway, the Sox lead 88-47 overall in games against the Rays at home. This season the Sox have taken 9 of the 12 games already played between them. Including a sweep at Fenway in April.

While this is not a make or break series for the Rays, gaining or standing their ground could help sustain the momentum going into NY as well as heading into the two remaining months.

[Kingdom]

First place.....that escalated quickly

[Tobywan]

Yahoo!(Even though it may be temporary.)

[Kingdom]

Chris Archer with a CG shut out

[Trendy Bastard]

Chris Archer with a CG shut out

[Tobywan]

He becomes the first Rays pitcher to have a CG shut out against the New York Yankees,
also the last rookie to do so in New York since Arthur Rhodes in July 1992.

[Tobywan]

After taking the division lead, losing it, getting it back and losing it again, the Rays at the moment are a game back of the Sawx.

With a win over the weekend against the defending WS Champs the Rays have won 25 of the last 31 games.

Evan Longoria was in a 0-19 slump before Sunday's game, usually he is the engine that pulls the team behind him but with help from Will Myers and others taking turns stepping up they have managed to win anyway. The bull pen has been solid and for the most part so has the starting rotation with a few hiccups here and there.

Chris Archer was named American League Pitcher of the Month and A.L. Rookie of the Month for July.

Matt Moore was placed on the DL with left elbow soreness, Ryan Roberts was recalled (again) from Durham.

The Rays signed SS Joseph Astacio and RHP Tyler Gauthier, traded for RHP Jesse Crain from the White Sox.

After a blister set him back in his rehab with the Stone Crabs, Alex Cobb started on Saturday going 4 innings allowing 1R/ER on 3 hits striking out 3 and walking 2 and throwing 56 pitches.

RHP Brandon Gomes was sent to Durham for rehab.

[Kingdom]

I'm still doing double takes every time I hear that Jamey Wright is pitching.
Effectively at that.

[Tobywan]

There was an article last week with a few quotes from Jamey about the relaxed very few rules clubhouse under Joe. Loose clubhouse=productive players???


Just heard that Desmond Jennings has been placed on the DL. X-rays were negative after a hard slide on Saturday and first thought to be just a sprain. Another look yesterday and turns out there is a small fracture. Jason Bourgeois was called up from Durham. Perhaps a platoon of Bourgeois against lefties and Fuld against righties and though Myers has been the RF he was primarily a CF in the minors with the Royals.